Oct 26, 2010

After recent trail work being completed out front of my parents place it was time to check out my hometown rail trail again. Stratford to Maffra Rail Trail link is part of The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail. I love rail trails for their easy gradient and safety aspect away from road traffic. But It’s the bicycle friendly connecting paths, in and around towns, that I really enjoy taking time to explore. One such path is the Avon River Heritage trail at Apex Park picnic area in Stratford that takes you around to a viewing platform overlooking the Avon River. The Rail trail starts on the other side of Avon River Bridge in Stratford, it’s a flat ride on smooth gravel and continues to Maffra approx 10km away, through farmland. The Rail Trail ends at edge of Maffra township but you can take the road passed the Station building and at the end of Station St, another one of those very pleasant around town cycle paths takes you through Macalister Park and around the Port of Maffra, to the other side of town. You can follow the Macalister River further around to Macalister Wetlands boardwalks, then return to cross the Macalister River bridge and take a new section of path to rejoin The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail which continues to Tinamba (7km) and then on to Heyfield 20km away, on the now closed Traralgon-Stratford railway line.